In The End
by Flipenda
Summary: It's the evening of the New Years Ball and no one seems to be


"Harry! How long does it take to get ready? Bloody hell mate! You'd give even Ginny a run for her money!" Ron was yelling himself hoarse in an effort to get Harry ready and downstairs for the New Years Ball.

Harry nervously gave himself a final glance in the mirror and nearly jumped out of his skin when the mirror said, "You look fantastic dear. You really should hurry downstairs before you leave your date waiting."

Embarrassed at the prospect of having to be shooed out of his own bathroom by his mirror, Harry heeded the mirror's words and stumbled into the dormitory to meet Ron. A Ron, who Harry could tell was already purple in the face from shouting.

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"Hermione, let me do your hair," Parvati implored, playing with Hermione's long chestnut hair. The girls had been arguing with Hermione for the past hour about her hair while getting ready.

"I'm fine. I'll probably put it into a high ponytail or something," Hermione waved her off. Lavender tutted and shook her head in pity. Hermione glared at her.

Ginny, who was in their dorm because she couldn't stand the girls in hers, said "'Mione, just tonight. Let Parvati and Lav have a go."

Hermione continued to glare stonily at them before relenting. "Fine," she mumbled. "Just nothing too eccentric, okay?" The girls didn't hear the last part, because as soon as Hermione said 'Fine' the girls squealed with joy.

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"What could be taking them so long?" muttered Neville, voicing the one question on every Sixth Year Gryffindor boy's mind. Seamus was waiting for Parvati, Dean for Lavender, Neville for Ginny, Ron for Hermione, and Harry and Luna were waiting for everyone else. Ron glared at Harry and Luna in a not-so-subtle manner and Harry shrugged it off.

When Dumbledore announced the Ball, Harry and Luna were just beginning to bond and Harry had asked her immediately, not wanting a repetition of Fourth Year. Luna accepted, no hint of nervousness or feelings other than friendship had passed between them.

Ron had witnessed the entire thing and took it the wrong way entirely. In retaliation, he asked Hermione, who immediately accepted. As friendly as he was with him, Ron couldn't help but feel jealous that Harry was taking Luna to the Ball.

Dean and Seamus were discussing the highlights of the Muggle football game they'd seen on the Wireless the night before. Neville was sweating in anticipation of the night and kept dabbing at his forehead. Luna stared off into space.

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"Done!" came a cry of triumph from the girl's dorm. Ginny let out a cheer as the door opened and Hermione muttered "Thank Merlin! It was getting _way_ too chemically induced in there for my liking."

Lavender mock-glared at her. "Environmentalist," she said just loudly enough for Hermione to hear.

Hermione stuck her tongue out at her and rolled her eyes. "Never again," she muttered. Parvati elbowed her and she had to grin. "Well, maybe once more…"

When Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, she had to admit that she liked what she saw. Her normally bushy brown hair had been tamed to waves and Ginny had thought to but in golden highlights. Lavender and Parvati had taken ages to choose a style and had spent most of the time arguing over which of the Gryffindor boys in their year was cuter.

The choices had been narrowed down to Harry and Ron before Hermione and Ginny had put their feet down. The topic had been changed immediately back to how Hermione's hair should look. Hermione now fingered one of the many thin ringlets that cascaded down her back and prepared to face the night.

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"Finally!" exclaimed Neville as the girls came down their staircase. "What took you so…" Neville's breath caught in his throat.

"Wow," muttered Ron, unashamed of his jaw hanging. Seamus and Dean let out low whistles. Harry gaped openly at the girls. Luna smiled dreamily at the astounded looks on the boy's faces and went to join their better halves.

Apparently, Dean, Lavender, Seamus and Parvati had a Mexican Muggle theme planned for ages. The boys both wore open-collar shirts, Dean's black, Seamus' navy blue. Lavender and Parvati looked like they bought a pair of bridesmaid dresses and cut them into knee-length, spaghetti strapped dresses. Lavender's was red, Parvati's white. Both girls took the arm of her date and the quartet walked over to and waited by the portrait hole.

Ginny descended next. Her gown appeared to be nothing more than a strapless black slip. Ron sputtered at her sense of dress, his face slowly turning red. Ginny accepted Neville's arm and as she walked by Ron, muttered "Modesty Charm", just loud enough for him to hear. Ron seemed to calm down a bit after that and they all turned to watch Hermione's entrance.

Ginny watched her friend come down the stairs and did a double take. The girl walking down the steps wasn't the Hermione she knew. The Hermione she knew didn't have that much confidence. The Hermione she knew would walk into the room and into a corner, unnoticed. If she was noticed, she'd quickly deflect the spotlight. Gone was the Hermione that always lugged around enough books to start her own library.

This girl was a princess.

Hermione walked with such grace and confidence that she made even Ron stand up a little straighter. Her blue gown had a flowing skirt that reached just past her knee. Her top was basically a corset and she wore a blue scarf around her shoulders. Her hair flowed just like her skirt down her back, the highlights catching in the candlelight. She smiled at her two best friends and took the arm of one. That one was wearing a set of plain black dress robes.

Luna, wearing a hot pink kimono and her hair down in a natural style, tugged on Harry's limp hand and they walked out of the portrait hole.

"Hermione looks great tonight, doesn't she?" asked Luna quietly. Harry nodded in his assessment.

Then, fumbling around for something to say, said "You look great tonight too." Luna smiled one of her signature smiles.

"It's not me you want to say that to, is it?" Harry looked into her eyes and saw understanding. He gave her a grin that would have most girls melted in a mater of seconds and shook his head. "Good. I don't want you to be the one to say that to me either.

"Harry, the only people in this group that are happy with their date are Seamus, Parvati, Dean and Lavender. Everyone else is on a date with one of their friends to avoid their true feelings." Harry nodded. He'd assumed that Ginny had a crush on Malfoy.

They stopped outside out the Great Hall. "I think that we should take care of Neville and Ginny first. Then Ron. That'll leave you with her."

Harry didn't even reply. He was far too used to Luna's insight. He just nodded.

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After dinner, Dumbledore announced the first dance of the evening. "This is a momentous occasion," he began. "This is not only the first Ball in the history of Hogwarts not to have live entertainment, but the first to play American Muggle music!"

Everyone but about half of the Slytherins clapped and cheered. As the first song, one called 'What You Waiting For?' came on, everyone hit the dance floor. Everyone except for three couples. One was plotting and the other two were just nervous.

_Your moment will run out  
Cuz of your sex chromosome  
I know it's so messed up how our society all thinks (for sure)  
Life is short, you're capable (uh huh)  
Oh... oh ohhh _

LOOK AT YOUR WATCH NOW!  
YOU'RE STILL A SUPER HOT FEMALE!  
YOU GOT YOUR MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT!  
AND THEY'RE ALL WAITING FOR YOUR HOT TRACK!

What you waiting  
What you waiting  
What you waiting  
What you waiting  
What you waiting for?

By the time the first song was finished, all three couples were ready to dance. As the song called 'Adding To The Noise' came on and Harry and Luna put their plan into action.

_Stepping out of those convenience stores  
what could we want but more more more?  
From the third world  
to the corporate core  
we are a symphony of modern humanity _

If we're adding to the noise  
turn off this song  
If we're adding to the noise  
turn off your stereo, radio, video

They split up, still dancing and flinging random people together. Luna danced Neville away from Ginny and over to Hannah. Ginny was danced over to Ron by Harry. Luna matched up Draco and Hermione. Harry took Ginny away from Ron and danced her over to Draco. Hermione went to go get a glass of punch. Ron, looking very perplexed was swept away by Luna, leaving Harry a clear field.

_I don't know  
what they're gonna think of next  
genetic engineers of the most high tech  
A couple new ways  
to fall into debt  
I'm a nervous wreck but I'll bet  
that that T.V. set  
tells us what we've wanted to hear  
But none of these sound bites  
are coming in clear  
From the third world to the corporate ear  
we are the symphony of modern humanity._

Harry walked over to her and held out his arm gallantly. "Shall we dance?" he asked, grinning.

Hermione put her punch down and beamed at Harry. "We shall," she replied.

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Everyone that was matched up by Harry and Luna stayed together for the entire night. By the time the last song came on, Harry and Hermione were on the balcony. 'In The End' was the name of the last song. Harry had his arms around Hermione and she leaned back into him, both watching the count down to the New Year.

_20! 19! 18! 17! _

_(It starts with)  
One thing / I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try  
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme  
To explain in due time  
All I know  
time is a valuable thing  
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings  
Watch it count down to the end of the day  
The clock ticks life away  
It's so unreal_

Harry began laughing suddenly. "What?" asked Hermione, craning her neck to look up at him.

"I can just imagine how horrified Parvati and Lav would be. Our outfits don't match!" They laughed.

_13! 12! 11! 10! _

_I'm surprised it got so (far)  
Things aren't the way they were before  
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore  
Not that you knew me back then  
But it all comes back to me  
In the end  
You kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart  
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I  
I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
I've put my trust in you  
Pushed as far as I can go_

Hermione took out her wand and charmed her outfit to the exact same shade of green that Harry's was.

_5! 4! 3!_

"In the end," she began, leaning towards Harry to bridge the gap between them as the clock struck twelve and the song began to fade.

_There's only one thing you should know_

"It doesn't even matter."


End file.
